Sony SmartWatch 3 review -

The good The Sony SmartWatch 3 has built-in GPS to track your workout without needing your phone. It's waterproof, has a built-in USB port for charging without a dock and runs Android Wear smoothly.

The bad Its screen is pretty awful, with poor colours and viewing angles. Its plain, square design makes it much less stylish than the LG G Watch R and it doesn't have a heart-rate monitor built in.

The bottom line Although its ability to use GPS to track your run is handy, its poor screen, uninspiring design and lack of a heart-rate monitor means the SmartWatch 3 doesn't impress over its more luxurious Android Wear competitors.

CNET REVIEW
Sony's previous efforts at making a smartwatch haven't exactly been successes. In fact, the SmartWatch 2 was pretty awful. Seemingly keen to learn from its mistakes, however, Sony is back with a third generation of its computerised wristwear, unsurprisingly named the SmartWatch 3.

The SmartWatch 3 has an improved design -- including better waterproofing and interchangeable straps -- and crucially, Sony has ditched its clunky and unpleasant custom interface.

It now runs Android Wear, the smartwatch software developed by Google that aims to provide a unified platform for companies like Sony, Samsung, LG and Motorola to load on to their products and allow developers to create apps that can run equally well across all devices.

The SmartWatch 3 is on sale now and costs £190 in the UK, direct from Sony, $250 in the US also from Sony, and AU$315 in Australia from Expansys.

Design and display

Instead of opting for a more traditional circular watch face, like the LG G Watch R , the SmartWatch 3 has a square face. Together with the rubber strap, which meets the glass of the display, this makes it look much more like a fitness device than a regular watch. It certainly doesn't have the same luxury charm as the metal and leather G Watch R.